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Kensley’s heart panged. “You didn’t. I know you didn’t.” But he also understood why Bishop felt that way. He’d been charged with protecting Kensley, and Kensley had been stolen, tormented, and threatened. He’d also been rescued by his beloved. “Tell me what happened that night? On the island?”

Bishop released a long, raspy breath. “I was waiting at the front door for Walsh and the doc. I heard the Jeep’s engine, and then I saw the lights. It happened so fast, but I still should have seen it coming.”

“Seen what?”

“An ambush. I couldn’t immediately see the driver, and when the Jeep swung around, the woman posing as Dr. Fatima stepped out, and she said the name ‘Drew Burton.’ I knew it was wrong.

King never would have told her my pseudonym, he’d have used the names on our passports, but before I could defend us the driver shot me. ”

Kensley’s entire body jerked. Blood pulsed in his temples, and he sat upright, gaping down at Bishop. “You were shot? Where?” He searched for obvious bandages behind Bishop’s black tee.

“Hey, I’m okay.” Bishop stilled his roving hands, then reached into his cargo pants pocket. Tucked something heavy and warm into Kensley’s hand. “This stopped the bullet. It saved my life.”

He uncurled his fingers and stared at the silver object until it made sense. Shock and gratitude coiled through his insides as he brought the mangled pendant to his lips. Kissed the metal.

“I’ve got a hell of a bruise on my chest, but it didn’t break the skin,” Bishop added. “Thank you for protecting me, even when you didn’t know you were.”

“I can’t believe it.” Kensley placed his hand on Bishop’s sternum.

“I was so scared you were dead. I heard the gunshots, but Marta wouldn’t tell me anything.

Not if you were alive or dead. She told me I was going to be sold, but I didn’t want to believe anything she said.

” Especially not that he was pregnant. And Decker hadn’t said a word about it, but what if?

What if Kensley really was carrying their child?

He needed to speak with this Dr. Melish as soon as possible. Not that there was much the doc could do at a vacation lodge, with no real testing equipment or ultrasound machine.

“Yes, well, we’ll be dealing with her organization soon enough,” Bishop snarled. “There’s nothing King and I hate more than human traffickers. Decker was half the battle, but the people who sold you to the Farm don’t get a pass.”

“You haven’t dealt with Marta yet?”

“No, recovering you was more important. Don’t worry, we won’t lose track of them.

” Bishop brushed his lips over Kensley’s.

“After I was shot, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, King and his people were there. We gathered what evidence we could, and we went home. King didn’t give me much time before he laid into me about fucking his baby brother. ”

Kensley snorted even as he blushed. “King knows?”

“I told him everything. Well, I edited the private parts, but you know what I mean. He supports us.”

“I’m glad.” Not that Kensley needed King’s blessing; it felt nice to have, though.

“Oh, I have something for you.” Bishop retrieved something else from his pocket and tucked it into Kensley’s hand.

Kensley grinned, heart fluttering as he immediately put the shell-and-bead necklace over his head, returning it to where it belonged. “Thank you so much. I guess I assumed Marta had taken it and thrown it away.”

“It was left behind at the beach house. I couldn’t bear leaving it behind, not after my necklace saved my life. I also rescued your sandals.”

“I’m glad.” He carefully put the mangled fork necklace around Bishop’s neck and situated the pendant on his chest. “Perfect.” But for as happy as he was to be here with Bishop, he still had so many questions. “Marta said I was going to be auctioned to the highest bidder.”

Bishop flinched. “King tried. He got a link to the auction, but it was only live for five minutes. He had no time to move money around or make assets liquid. Someone else came in with a higher bid at the last possible second. Trust me, I have never seen him that furious in my life. Please don’t think he didn’t try, or that your freedom cost too much. ”

Kensley wanted to believe it. Bishop had no reason to lie. Still, Kensley needed to hear it from King’s own lips.

“The upside of the auction link was it gave our tech guy a new route to search, and that lead is how we found Decker. How we found you.”

“So, I guess a few days of terror and fear of imminent rape was worth it in the end.” Before Bishop could growl and posture, Kensley wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his head on Bishop’s broad chest. “If I hadn’t gone to that place, Malori would be dead or about to die.

He said he was exhausted, used up, and Decker intimated that Malori would be killed soon.

I was his replacement. Me going there saved his life, Bishop. I will never regret that. Oh!”

He sat up so fast Bishop reached to steady him. Kensley grabbed Bishop’s shoulders, pulse racing. “Malori had two children while he was held captive, Bishop. We have to help him find his kids.”

Bishop’s lips parted as his eyebrows rose. A fresh wave of horror washed over his expressive face, brightening his eyes with tears. “Two? Motherfucker, I can’t believe that.”

“He’s so exhausted. And the last time they took Malori away and brought him back…

I don’t think all of him came back. He was so empty last night.

Today, I think Decker was going to kill him, rather than take him with us when we left the compound, but I shot him before he could.

Decker, I mean. He shot Malori, and then Malori shot Decker until the gun was empty. ”

“I don’t blame Malori one bit. Decker was evil.

I don’t have the words for Malori’s situation.

I’d heard that brothels like this existed, but only as nebulous stories.

I’d never met or spoken to anyone who had actually been to one.

Everything was third or fourth hand. I cannot begin to fathom Malori’s pain.

Having two children stolen from him. How long was he there? ”

“About three years.”

“So he was pregnant roughly half the time he was held captive? Fuck me.”

“I promised we’d find his kids.”

“We’ll do everything we possibly can, I swear.” Bishop’s lips twitched. “Judging by the way King hasn’t left Malori’s side, I have a feeling King will move heaven and earth to find them.”

Kensley blinked a few times while the thought turned over in his mind. King hadn’t left Malori’s side since their escape, and it hadn’t occurred to him it was anything other than King’s overprotective streak. “You think so? Malori’s a lot younger than him. He’s younger than me.”

“I’m speculating. But we will help Malori, as best we can. He has a lot of healing to do. So do you, Kens.”

Kensley shook his head. “Not like him. Sure, I was stressed out and bored, and I nearly had a fear-induced stroke those ninety minutes I was drugged, but I’m okay.”

Bishop rested a palm on his forehead, a hot, comforting weight. “Maybe you’re okay physically, but you’ve been wounded here, sweetheart. You’ve been terrorized, and that leaves a mark. It doesn’t go away just because your body isn’t damaged. Your mind needs time to heal, too.”

Those wonderful, comforting words squeezed a few more tears from what Kensley thought were exhausted wells. “It’s hard not to compare Malori’s trauma to mine and to come up short. But I do hear you. It’ll take time.”

“And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

“Good. We need you.” Kensley couldn’t take the slip back, and he silently prayed Bishop didn’t?—

“We?” Bishop seemed poised to brush it off as a slip of the tongue, but Kensley must not have managed his expression well. Bishop’s eyes narrowed. “Kens?”

“Look, she was probably lying to keep me from hurting myself.” Kensley took one of Bishop’s hands and pressed it over his lower belly. When he found the words, he spoke them to their hands. “Marta? The lady who held me after the island? She said I was pregnant.”

“P-p-pregnant? That’s impossible.”

“Not when it comes to a true charum. Apparently, finding each other and our bodies recognizing each other…it can trigger my fertility period. And considering all the sex we were having all over the island, it’s possible I am pregnant, but I have no proof.” He chanced looking Bishop in the eyes.

Eyes shining with so many things Kensley couldn’t hope to name, but above all he saw love. “You could be pregnant?” Bishop’s voice was soft, so full of awe it couldn’t hold the weight of it. “Really?”

“It’s possible, but I don’t kn—umf.”

The force of Bishop’s kiss stole his words and his breath, and then Kensley was on his back, surrounded by Bishop’s familiar, comforting body.

The embrace wasn’t sexual, despite their positions.

It was love and comfort and joy and acceptance, all rolled up into a hug and a kiss.

A long, reassuring hug and kiss that Kensley never wanted to end.

“My God, I can’t believe this,” Bishop said, hot breath puffing against Kensley’s damp lips. “Our baby.”

“Marta could have been lying. I was all alone in this hospital-style room, no one to talk to, no idea what they might do. She probably thought I’d behave if there was a baby at risk, especially wondering if you were dead or not.

” A new blast of fury over that manipulation heated his chest. “Fuck, I hate her for that. I could have fought harder to escape.”

“Maybe. But then you never would have led us to Malori and the others who were being trafficked.”

“You’re right. And even if Marta was lying and I’m not pregnant, I’ll never regret helping set the others free. If all that happened to Malori, then I can’t imagine what the rest suffered.”

“Don’t. Don’t stress over it, because you can’t change the past. Please, take comfort in knowing you have positively affected their futures.”

Kensley leaned into Bishop’s chest. “I can do that. But what if I am pregnant?”

“Then we’re going to be very busy in nine months, aren’t we?” he replied with a soft rumble of laughter. “It’s been a long time since I gave any real thought to having children, and now it’s an imminent possibility.”

“And a terrifying one, considering King’s enemies are still out there. Are the people who tried to kidnap me at the abbey connected to Marta or Decker?”

“We still aren’t certain who sent them, and finding out hasn’t been a priority.”

Kensley grumped. “Great. So, I’m still a target. Our family is a target. How can we put a baby in the middle of this kind of life?”

Hurt etched all over Bishop’s face. “You don’t want to have a child with me?”

“I’m not saying never, but now isn’t exactly an ideal time.”

“I doubt there’s ever an ideal time to become a parent.”

Kensley wanted to argue, but he was up against a brick wall.

Bishop was visibly thrilled at the baby news, and nothing Kensley said would dull that shine.

The only thing that would was if a pregnancy test came back negative—if they found out Marta had lied.

That would hurt immensely, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

He and Bishop could figure out the dangerous shit-show that was their life before bringing an innocent child into the fray.

Maybe.

All he could right now was hug Bishop and hope for the best—because their best was absolutely yet to come.